China’s reusable spacecraft returns home after 268 days in orbit

ISTANBUL

China’s reusable spacecraft returned home on Friday after spending 268 days in orbit, state media reported.

The experimental spacecraft was launched last December from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the northwestern Gobi Desert.

Long March 2F rocket carried the spacecraft into its orbit where it spent 268 days.

The spacecraft was tasked with verifying reusable technologies and space science experiments.

It was China’s third such public mission of reusable experimental spacecraft.

The country’s first such mission was launched in September 2020 and the spacecraft remained in orbit just for less than two days.

Its second test started in August 2022 after which the spacecraft stayed in orbit for 276 days before returning home in May last year.